As the temperatures dip further and further down, cold weather gloves are becoming more and more a necessity in much of the northern hemisphere. Handup, who are known for their stylish line of mountain bike gloves has introduced a cold weather version of their gloves with some unique designs.
Cold weather is a relative term among mountain bikers. Unlike snow-sports, one riders cold weather is another riders warm day. So, I always like to bracket cold weather gear reviews with the conditions that I was actually riding in while using the gear.
I tested these gloves in December in the high desert of western Colorado. Tracking my ride temperatures with klimat.app, I found my average riding temperature for the month to be right around 35 degrees and relatively dry. I tested the Handup Winter Gloves down to about 15 degrees and as high as 45 degrees.
Features
The Handup Winter Gloves feature the same stretch neoprene cuff found on Handups summer gloves. They also feature bold designs and their trademark silicone phrases on the palms that double in providing extra grip.
The backs of the gloves are a waterproof / windproof material that is designed for keeping your hands warm. The palms are a Clarino leather that preserves dexterity unlike traditional winter gloves. The finger tips themselves are touch screen compatible.
Inside, the gloves are lined with fleece to provide an extra layer of warmth. The thumb feature a lens wipe area for keeping glasses and goggles clean.
In Use
The Handup winter gloves don’t look exactly like your typical riding gloves. Because of the extra insulation and materials used they have more structure than most gloves. This caused me to worry initially if they would lack dexterity. I quickly found however that my worries were unfounded and I was able to operate zippers, my smart phone and do other fiddly things with the gloves in place.
On the bike the gloves feel good as well. The leather palms definitely provide good feel while the lining and waterproof backing provide additional warmth. I quite honestly forgot I was wearing “winter” gloves most of the time.
In regards to warmth, I rode these gloves in temperatures ranging from about 45 down to about 15 degrees. They were comfortable without pogies in all these conditions except for one occasion. That one occasion was a gravel road decent at about 18 MPH while the temperature hovered around 20 degrees. In this one instance my hands started to get a little numb, but in every other instance they have worked perfectly.
If you’re a backcountry fat-biker who needs unparalleled cold-weather performance these might not be the gloves for you. But, on the other hand, if you ride you bike year round and want gloves that won’t make you look like the Michelin Man these gloves might be the perfect fit.
Fit and Value
In regular hand-up gloves I wear a medium and the fit is snug but not too snug. It seems the winter versions might have slightly more room, so if you are on the edge of sizing you might want to size down if you like a more snug fit.
The Handup “Lumberjack” gloves that I tested sell for $32. These aren’t the cheapest cold weather gloves you’ll find but they also aren’t the most expensive. Being that these gloves are pretty cool looking I’ve found that I wear them even when not biking. This raises the value in my mind as I love any product that get’s use beyond cycling. If you’re in the market for a new pair of medium/light winter gloves anyways the Handup winter gloves make a great buy.
Handup provided us a sample of these gloves for review.
Pros:
- Sturdy Construction
- Great looks on and off the bike
- Good bar feel
- Medium Warmth
Cons:
- Not for super cold weather
- Not stealthy and understated
What gloves would you wear for colder temps or longer/faster rides. I commute in NYC, so I go fast and it gets windy, cold, and wet. I wear Handups 6 months out of the year and I wear them under old TNF gloves during the winter. I need a one-glove winter solution. Thanks!